Gujarat experienced widespread heavy rainfall over the weekend, causing flooding, road closures, and infrastructure damage in several areas, including Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad recorded over 86 mm (3.50 inches) of rain in a 24-hour period ending Monday morning. The weather department forecasts even heavier rainfall in the coming days, prompting school closures and heightened concerns.
The heavy rainfall is attributed to a deepening weather system over Northwest Madhya Pradesh and neighboring East Rajasthan. This system is predicted to bring substantial rainfall to Gujarat, Goa, and Maharashtra. Strong winds with gusts up to 60 kmph are also expected to accompany the downpour.
Three intercity train services (Ahmedabad-Vadodara, Vadodara-Ahmedabad, and Vadodara-Jamnagar) have been disrupted due to the severe weather. Morwa Hadaf received the highest rainfall at 6.1 inches, followed by Anand with 5.4 inches. 44 talukas in Gujarat recorded over 2 inches of rain, while 82 talukas received more than an inch. Heavy rain continues to affect parts of Aravalli, Mahisagar, Vadodara, Dahod, and Saurashtra in the central-southern region.
In Aravalli, continuous rainfall led to significant waterlogging in the streets. Vadodara’s Ajwa Dam’s water level rose to 20.44 feet, nearing the danger threshold of 26 feet. The Vishwamitri river at Kalaghoda bridge also approaches its danger level, raising concerns about flooding in low-lying areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for several regions, including Surat, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Rajkot, anticipating isolated heavy rainfall. Orange alerts have been issued for other areas. Fishermen have been warned to stay ashore due to the expected harsh conditions along the Gujarat coast. The IMD also cautioned about potential landslides, flooding, and damage to crops.
Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to assess the situation and offer support from the central government. Chief Minister Patel is scheduled to visit the State Emergency Control Centre to review the situation and coordinate response efforts. Narmada, Surat, Tapi, and districts in South Gujarat have been significantly impacted by the continuous monsoon rains. The heavy rainfall in Gujarat follows two days of intense downpours that resulted in widespread flooding and inundated roadways.
